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The Sprout
Cumnor Bear cub in action!
The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 138 June 2019
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The Sprout
Issue 138, June 2019
Contents
3 Community Land Trust
getting there!
5 Believing in our future
the XR experience
9 Parish Council Elections
11 Being a Scout
13 Cumnor Cricket
17 Just Being Art exhibition
19 Caretaker needed at Louie
Memorial Fields
21 2nd Botley Brownies
23 PPG Improving the patient
experience
25 Lunch Club
27 Police News
29 Randoms
39 Local Organizations
From the Editor,
What’s been happening in Botley? We have a new parish council (p9 for
details), and the genuinely affordable homes proposed in Dean Court have
come a step closer to reality (p3). To qualify, you will need to be on the Vale
Housing Register but don’t worry, there’s still time to apply. It’s the
cricket season, and England will be hosting the World Cricket Cup. Cumnor
Cricket Club invite us all to come and celebrate this momentous occasion
(p13) for which they are putting on several different events over the
weekend of 79th June. CCC have rebranded themselves, striking out with
a new logo and a new image as Cumnor Bears. Their thriving Youth Section
would welcome more players, like the young one on our cover. The Climate
Emergency continues to worry us school children and some parents are
out on strike again as I write, and on page 5 you will find an account of a
local mother’s day In London with Extinction Rebellion at Easter. For those
given a taste for art by the local Artweeks, Botley Arts has an exhibition at
Ss P&P church (p17) while in Randoms (p29) you will find quite a number
of different summer events to tempt you out.
Ag MacKeith
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More news from Oxfordshire Community Land Trust
about the proposed flats in Dean Court
Things are progressing well with Oxfordshire Community Land Trust’s
plans to build 8 flats on backland off Eynsham Road :
hope to hear about that in June sometime, so fingers firmly
crossed for that.
We’ve decided to apply to register as a housing association which
will strengthen our organization and enable us to access funds
We’ve started planning a community share offer which will be
launched later in the year. We are already collecting names of
those interested in investing and some Sprout readers have
already been in touch. We are hoping that the local community
will want to invest as well as the wider community.
These flats are for people on the Vale’s housing register who can also
show a strong local connection (through work, residence or family) and
who wish to have some involvement in working with fellow tenants to keep
things running smoothly. Please be aware that the flats are ONLY for
eligible applicants on the housing register who are nominated by the
District Council. If you have an interest and you’re not on the housing
register then get onto it ASAP www.whitehorsehomechoice.org.uk
There is lots to do right now. We’d also welcome more members
www.oclt.org.uk/invest and we’re always on the look out for new directors
with a passion for using this model to deliver community owned,
permanently affordable, housing. We’d particularly welcome new
directors with a legal or finance background or both.
Fran Ryan, Director CLT
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Believing in our Future
On Easter Sunday, my partner, my 6-year-old son and I set off from our
home in Cedar Road to catch the train to London with the intention of
joining Extinction Rebellion (XR) at their base camp at Marble Arch. As
we sat on the train looking out the window at the passing fields, I started
to reflect on why I’d make the decision to join the protest. It was
something I hadn’t done before, despite always feeling supportive of
anyone taking action against climate change, but I knew I felt very
strongly about this and had to go and see what was happening for myself.
It was seeing the youth school strikers march past my window at work
every Friday that had inspired me to become actively involved in
researching XR’s work on this issue. Then, in April, I got a leaflet through
my door inviting me to their open meeting in the city centre. My partner
and I headed down to the Wesley Memorial Church and saw streams of
people heading inside. The church was packed.
One of the speakers was a climate change scientist. The enormity of the
scientific evidence to support the declaration of a Climate Emergency
was totally overwhelming. I had
arrived thinking I would be able to
just immediately accept the reality of
what was happening; I left feeling
like I had the whole weight of saving
the world on my shoulders.
There was one phrase, though,
which stuck with me from one of the
talks When I started to try and do
something about it, I felt better’.
Having failed to get time off to go to
London in the week, I followed the
media coverage hoping the protests
would run into the holiday weekend
and they did! We decided to cut
short a planned weekend away and
travel back to London to show our
support. The atmosphere at Marble
Arch was very particular. It was
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intensely respectful, polite and
relaxed and there wasn’t even a tiny
piece of litter on the ground within the
camp area. It was easy to strike up
conversations with people if you
wanted to, but overall it was just a
wonderful calm feeling of being
surrounded by hundreds of people
who strongly believed in the future of
the planet.
My son was a bit confused about the
set-up, as it looked a bit like a fair
with no obvious ‘fun’. After a while he
got into the swing of things (photo
shows he found something fun to do
after all!) and was very interested to
see Greta Thunberg speak:
someone clearly still young and yet
everyone clapping and cheering her
words. Our trip to London had prompted me the day before to start talking
about climate change with him. I gave him hopeful messages about the
power of positive and peaceful action to create change in the world. Since
then he has been intensely keen to encourage wildlife, turn off lights and
drive less.
Extinction Rebellion have done amazing things in getting the U.K.
government to declare a Climate Emergency. I feel more hopeful than I
have in a long time, but of course their work is not done and there is a
whole world out there which also needs to step up to ensuring we all have
a future on this planet. That’s why I’m joining them for good and will
continue to support and show up when I’m needed. I heard that Oxford is
going to appoint a citizens’ assembly to help create its environmental
policies and that’s a great step. I’d like to see this actually happen and for
the same thing be put in place across the country. On a larger scale, I’d
say the government needs to start putting all its time and energy into
sustainable organic farming, developing greener driving and energy
technologies and making sure that we reduce carbon emissions to zero
as soon as possible. I don’t know if this will happen, but XR are certainly
trying to make sure it does. Lorna Burchell
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Parish Council
The following lists the members of the new Parish Council, showing the
votes cast.
Ag MacKeith 841
Lorna Berrett 817
Judi Bolder 778
Caroline Potter 778
Chris Church 739
David Kay 662
Ann Dykes 661
Darren Blase 653
Adam Rankin 589
Laura Jones 567
Alistair Bastin 551
Martin Dowie 520
Pauline Allen 505
Graham Fairclough 505
Not Elected
Stephen Elliott 500; Andrew Pritchard 475; John Alwyne Marriott 412
Chris Hall 406; Maurice O’Donoghue 347; Erica Davis 341;
Nima Gholami Babaamadi 224; Esmail Gholami Babaamadi 176
At the first NHPC meeting on 9th May, the following committee chairs were
elected: Planning Adam Rankin, Recreation and Amenities Caroline
Potter, Communications Lorna Berrett, Allotments Ag MacKeith
David Kay and Chris Church will take on the Expressway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
District Council
And our new District Councillors are:
Debby Hallett (Lib-Dem) 1521 Emily Smith (Lib Dem) 1387
23 Sycamore Road, OX2 9EJ 4 Sycamore Road, OX2 9EJ
cllr.debby.hallett@gmail.com emily.smith@whitehorsedc.gov.u
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Being a Scout
My name is Rory and I’ve been in the 4th Oxford Scout Group since the
age of 7; I’m now 11. At Scouts we learn many different life skills such as:
fire-lighting, knot-tying, cooking, and various others. Being a Scout
myself, I feel that it is all great fun. I’m sure I can speak for our Beavers,
Cubs and Explorers as well.
In my time of scouting I
have done all sorts of
activities, like ice-skating,
cooking and swimming
which I have improved on
massively, as Scouts
have helped me
progress. I have been on
all sorts of different
camps with everyone,
which are always full of
exciting outdoors
activities, like zip-lining,
orienteering, kayaking and rifle-shooting. We are always tired out by the
end of it all, partly because we’ve done so much, and partly because we
stay up too late!
Recently I went on a sponsored 18-mile hike with our scouting community
and although it was tiring, it was also hugely rewarding and I had a lot
of fun doing it. My family raised over £200 in sponsorship money which
will go towards buying more equipment for our activities. I’m not a
member of any sports team, so Scouting gives me the chance to mix with
other children my age. We all share similar interests and enjoy spending
time together as a Scout. Rory Charlton
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Cumnor Cricket Club
lots going on!
Cumnor Cricket Club have had
a busy winter, evolving into
Cumnor Bears. The new branding recognises the significance of our
history and prepares us for an exciting future. Our values as a club centre
around family, passion and ambition which we feel are embodied in the
Cumnor Bears.
We have a thriving young players programme with over seventy All Stars
(5-8yrs) learning the basics of cricket on Friday evenings. We also have
140 other youngsters (817yrs) training on Wednesdays. Our first-class
coaching team for our juniors teaches not only the skills required but also
that playing with the right spirit is just as important as the results.
Our Kwiks (under 9s) were Oxfordshire champions last year. This
talented group of youngsters have had a strong start to the season
winning their first two matches. We are fielding two Under 11 teams both
of whom have tasted victory and defeat this year. Our two U13 teams
have had a frustrating time with other clubs struggling to raise sides to
play us. The U15s have played two matches and won both by a large
margin. This bunch of talented players are hopeful that they will get to
their final on 7th July. Our U17s side start their matches after the GCSE
exams are over, but are already looking forward to a competitive season.
Our adult section, with over fifty members, puts out three sides in league
cricket each Saturday and also a fourth team playing friendly fixtures on
Sunday afternoons. Our First XI play in the 1st Division of the Cherwell
League, opening this season with a win. They are also through to the
Oxfordshire semi-final of the National Village Knockout Cup. Our 2nd XI
play in Cherwell League Division 5, and our 3rds in Division 9. We are
hopeful of strong results from all our teams and promotions are in the air.
If you and your family want to get fit, play cricket at any level or simply
enjoy our clubhouse and grounds, the Cumnor Bears are sure to give you
a big welcome. David Clapton
A note from the Chairman of Cumnor Cricket Club:
Be part of the Cricket World Cup Everyone is invited to help us
celebrate the Cricket World Cup taking place in England and Wales this
year. Cumnor Cricket Club is hosting an open family weekend on June
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79th at the Park Field ground in Cumnor. This is a nationwide event
organised by the ECB to engage 1 million adults and children to ‘be part
of the World’s Greatest Cricket Celebration.’
Friday 7th June 6.30pm If you are aged 6 to 11 come along and join
in the Bears’ very own version of the World Cup tournament. It doesn’t
matter if you have never played cricket before, you can still join in these
fun 6-a-side softball games. Bring your Mum and Dad along too, they can
play as well! If you don’t want to play, come along and watch. There will
other games to enjoy, a BBQ and, for your parents, the bar will be open
all evening.
Saturday 8th June 12.30pm Our 1st team are playing a Cherwell
League match. Everyone is invited to come and watch. Bring a picnic, the
bar will be open all afternoon.
Saturday 8th June 8pm We are holding a Cricket World Cup Quiz in
our clubhouse. Prizes include a £50 meat voucher, courtesy of Michael
Cain and Son. Entry is £2 per person with a maximum team size of 5.
There will be hot food available for purchase. Don’t worry if you are not a
cricket expert, there will be plenty of general rounds too. All proceeds
from the quiz will be donated to our chosen charity, Opening Up Cricket
who promote mental wellbeing.
Sunday 9th June We are hosting the Vale District Kwik Cricket
Competition from 9.30am, and there will be a bake sale with delicious
treats to devour as well as stalls selling cricket equipment, clothing and
Cumnor Bears merchandise. There will be a BBQ from around noon.
Everyone is invited to come and watch our very own ‘Cumnor World Cup’
which will be a 6-a-side hardball tournament from 1.00pm. Bring your
picnic blanket and enjoy the festivities.
Ken Mannering, Cumnor Cricket Club Chairman
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Just Being: People and Places
Botley Arts is proud to present this wonderful exhibition by the Wallis
mother and daughter, which is showing until mid July. Here’s what they
say about their work.
Barbara Wallis: After many years of
drawing and painting intermittently, I’ve been
concentrating on abstract work, starting with
close observation, whether in the studio or
out in the landscape, then developing the
content in a more spontaneous way. It’s
fascinating how certain shapes or colours
seep into the brain and emerge in a piece
almost unconsciously. In getting to this point
I’ve been hugely fortunate to work with some
excellent tutors in Oxford, at Sunningwell
School of Art, and more recently in Kendal,
Cumbria. My daughter Catherine and I
chose our exhibition title ‘Just Being’ for a number of reasons. For both
of us, immersion in drawing and painting makes time irrelevant, in a
beautifully pliable, focused, yet meditative way. Just being with the
subject, and responding as feels right at the time, is definitely a skill to
practise. We are both actively cultivating our own permission to be just
whatever we are now, as artists.
I can be contacted at barbarawallis66@gmail.com.
Catherine Wallis: Recently I’ve come to
understand the essential role of the arts for my
own wellbeing and understanding of myself.
In 2017 my mum recommended a tutored
short course in life drawing here in Oxford and
in the last year I’ve been attending classes
fairly regularly. Through drawing people I’ve
rediscovered the joy of making art, but it
appeals to me on further levels. There’s a
potent simplicity to human connection. I always leave a life class feeling
more human I can’t find a better reason to keep drawing than that. I’m
so grateful for the opportunity to show some of my sketches as I start out,
and proud to be displaying them alongside my mum’s pieces.
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NORTH HINKSEY PARISH COUNCIL
Part-time Caretaker for the Louie Memorial
Pavilion and Playing Fields in Arnolds Way
The Parish Council is looking to appoint a new part-time
caretaker, at a gross salary of £248.88p a month for an
average of 24 hours a month over the year. The actual
hours worked will fluctuate between summer and winter.
The pavilion is run by a management committee and the
caretaker’s work will involve liaising and working with them.
The main duties of the post include:
Line marking of the football pitch
Checking the Pavilion and undertaking any minor
maintenance work, safety checks, etc
Arranging statutory building checks e.g. fire extinguishers,
electrical certificates
Maintaining the main hall, kitchen, changing rooms and
showers.
Cleaning MUGA and Children’s Shelter area to remove litter
etc.
General maintenance of the Trim Trail equipment.
Strimming long grass near the Pavillion, MUGA and car park
Litter Picking as necessary in both playing fields and
checking for any safety hazards
Weekly play equipment Safety Checks (Training will be
given)
Undertaking the specified weekly, monthly and annual
maintenance checks on the defibrillator cabinet
Lime Road Bus Shelter Clean out once a week
Other reasonable duties as requested by the Parish Council
Please apply in writing to the Parish Clerk by email:
clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk or by post to 29 Long Close,
Botley, Oxford, OX2 9SG
Closing date for applications: Monday 10 June 2019
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Catriona Gets a Gong
Girlguiding Oxfordshire offered us a
special afternoon tea at Eynsham Hall to
thank us volunteers for all our hard work.
This was such a rare treat that we at 2nd
Botley decided it was time to clear the
diaries and make sure we could all
attend. Eventually the day dawned and
arriving at the venue Brown Owl nearly
got swept into wedding photographs
when a photographer took some
convincing that she wasn’t with the
wedding party. (That would have caused
some puzzlement when leafing through
the photographs later). The rest of us arrived without any tale to tell and
whilst we were waiting to be allowed into our dining room there was a
rolling projection of photographs from the last year’s Girlguiding activities
that have been on offer throughout our county. What a varied programme
has been on offer both inside and outside activities something for all.
It was great to catch up with Guiders from all over the county who some
of us have known since we were Guides ourselves and who are probably
the reason why we still do it today.
Having ensured that our departing District Commissioner (our boss),
Catriona, would be in attendance, the District ordered her a lovely vase.
Then, before the tea and awards started we lulled her into a false sense
of security by presenting it to thank her for all her terms of office. Little
did she know that some of us had also been liaising for some months with
the awards committee on her behalf, and so she was completely shocked
when the County Commissioner (her boss) read out the citation for the
Girlguiding Oxfordshire Lozenge badge, followed by her name “in
recognition of her continued outstanding support to Girlguiding especially
in Oxfordshire”. (See photo above.)
The citation ended, “her support extends to enabling young members to
attend special camps and holidays, fundraising to support those less able
to afford them” which reminds me that as a parting gift she planned, and
then handed over to her successor, the Summer Fete on Saturday, 15th
June at Louie Memorial Playing Fields to raise funds for a December
residential for all Rainbows, Brownies and Guides who attend Girlguiding
in the local parishes. Lucy Howes
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Improving the Patient Experience
There will be a meeting of the Botley Medical Centre Patient Participation
Group on 19 June to discuss the results of a survey by the NHS and
recent Care Quality Commission visits to the practice, as well as
suggestions from patients. All patients of Botley Medical Centre and
Kennington Health Centre are welcome to attend. Whether you attend
or not, it would be helpful to receive your suggestions in advance of the
meeting. Please send them to me at grantn@ntlworld.com.
Who we are: The Patient Participation Group consists of volunteers who
are registered patients of the practice.
What are our main aims: to promote the well-being of patients and to
facilitate positive and effective two-way communication between the
practice and its patients.
When and where is the meeting: on Wednesday 19th June at 6 pm at
the Botley Medical Centre, Elms Road, OX2 9JS
Grant Nightingale, for Botley Medical Centre Patient Participation Group
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P19/V0936/HH
3 Yarnells Hill. Remove
conservatory. Single storey rear
extension and first floor rear/side
extension.
P19/V0928/FUL
The Chestnuts Harcourt Hill. Erect
one new self-build detached house
on land to the side of the property.
P18/V3150/DIS
Ferry Cottage 7 North Hinksey Lane.
Discharge of conditions. Internally
renovate out-building, install solar
panels, new entrance gates, new
cricket practice nets.
P19/V1015/A
Midland House West Way. Wall
mounted, halo illuminated, company
name and logo.
P19/V1066/HH
17 Hutchcomb Road. Roof convert to
provide bedroom & en-suite
bathroom. Change roof to gable.
P19/V1052/HH
35 Montagu Road. Remove
conservatory, erect single storey rear
extension, extend patio.
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Under-twenties meet over-sixties
Amelie, Evie, Paige, Phoebe and Rachel who are Volunteers at Branches
came to help with the Easter lunch party at Botley Over 60s Lunch Club
on 18 April. Branches is a social enterprise working with young people,
based on the first floor of Elms Court opposite the Co-op. Lunch Club
caters fortnightly for about forty people over the age of 60 in the current
Seacourt Hall facilities above the Co-op. This was a great opportunity to
show collaboration between the generations with a view to jointly
providing a freshly cooked meal and a chance to chat for older people in
our local community.
The young volunteers are students at either Matthew Arnold or
Bartholomew Schools and came to Branches via recommendation or the
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. They get experience in cooking,
serving, food hygiene and nutrition under the expert guidance of the
Branches Chef and café team. Like all experiences, some bits are better
than others and they
enjoy making and tasting
their creations,
particularly the
milkshakes but then
there is always the
clearing up.
Dave Goodspeed,
Director of Branches said
“Our ‘Young Leaders’
work really hard at their
volunteering and produce
some really good food,
some of the baking they have done has been to a really high standard.
They certainly worked impressively hard at the Lunch Club and can be
seen decorating over 60 Easter cup-cakes with Dave and Lunch Club
organisers, Jackie Warner and Viv Smith. They also served all the
lunches and puddings carefully serving from the left and clearing from
the right (most Lunch Club volunteers learned something that day!) and
then efficiently cleaned down all the tables.
The Branches girls were a great help to our regular Lunch Club
volunteers, real fun to work with and three of them even stayed to eat
lunch with us afterwards. We wish them all every success with their future
careers, whether in catering or elsewhere. Janet Bartlam
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Police News
On the morning of 12th May a man with a crowbar was spotted in the
back garden of a house on Cumnor Hill near to the Oxford Road junction.
Realizing he’d been seen, he made off over the fields towards Cumnor.
Witness described a dark skinned male, wearing a black leather jacket,
torn black jeans, light blue Converse shoes and a red and yellow bobble
hat, with a tattoo on the back of one of his hands.
On the afternoon of May 9th, around 4.50pm, a house was burgled
towards the top end of Cumnor Hill near Colegrove Down. Two male
offenders, described as either Asian or olive skinned and both slight of
build, forced entry into a conservatory where they took high spec bikes
before being disturbed by the occupant.
At a school in the Botley and Cumnor area, an unknown person was seen
to padlock the main gate shut late one evening. Their motivation is as yet
unknown but is suspected to be some sort of prank. Fortunately, school
staff noticed in time and removed the lock resulting in only minor
inconvenience and disruption. We encourage residents to report any
suspicious activity especially around schools.
Someone tried to break into a building site on Arnolds Way on the night
of 16th17th April. We understand that building sites often have lots of
comings and goings, but if you live near them or go past them please
keep an eye out for any activity outside of normal working hours and call
999 if you deem it suspicious, or 101 if in any doubt.
Over the last month there have been a string of “Vamoose Burglaries
(breaking into houses specifically to steal cars with keys) in neighbouring
areas. We would like to urge residents to keep doors and windows locked
when not in use and to ensure car keys are kept out of reach and
preferably out of sight. It’s possible your keyless car card could be hacked
from outside the house, so if you must put it by the front door keep it
in a metal box lined with foil to baffle the signals.
The next local ‘Have your Say’ meeting will be in Dean Court Community
Centre on Saturday 8th June between 2 and 4pm.
If you have any information regarding the above incidents please call 101
or Crimestoppers. You can always contact me by email via
Adrian.Wright@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk
PCSO Adrian Wright
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Randoms
Coming up at Botley Library
Friday 7th June, 5.306pm. Join us for a Pyjamarama Storytime to
celebrate National Bookstart Week. Why not come in your pyjamas and
bring Teddy? Open to children of all ages. No need to book.
Tuesday 11th June, 1111.30am. Rhymetime. Today is ‘Empathy Day’.
The Empathy Lab are encouraging us to read because stories and book
characters build our real-life empathy; connect make new connections
with people inspired by sharing stories; do put empathy into action in
homes and communities. Aimed at under 3s. No need to book.
Tuesday 25th June, 11 11.30am. Rhymetime. At today’s session we
will have a representative of the Community Dental Service who will talk
to us about brushing, sugar and oral health. Aimed at under 3s. No need
to book.
Can you help our local guide group?
3rd West Oxford Guides meets on Tuesdays 7.00 8.30pm at Dean Court
Community Centre. We are looking for volunteers to help out at meetings.
The Guides are girls age 1014 and it is a small group. Maybe you
enjoyed going to Guides yourself years ago and now can give something
back ? Or maybe you are new to Guiding but interested in helping young
people spend time constructively? Please think about helping us. To find
out more, contact Elaine by email on 3rdwestoxfordguides@gmail.com
Art Weeks at the Louie Memorial Pavilion 45th May 2019
Thanks to all those who contributed artwork, made cakes, volunteered
and visited the 2nd community art exhibition at the Pavilion. We enjoyed
hosting again this year and being part of the West Oxford and Botley Art
Weeks trail (sponsored by The Sprout). Hope you caught some of the
exhibitors in their own homes and studios as well. We may do it again
next year if there is interest and support from the community and artists.
Catherine, Claire and the Louie Memorial Committee
Could you adopt with PACT?
Adoption charity Parents And Children Together (PACT) is now holding
regular events in Oxfordshire for anyone interested in finding out more
about adoption. The next one is on Thursday 6th June, 6.308pm.
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These events are led by a PACT social worker and will include a talk from
someone who has adopted through PACT. Come along to ask questions
and find out more. PACT specialises in finding secure and loving homes
for children in most urgent need, who often face the longest wait. There
are currently 2000 children looking for families. Couples or single people
from all backgrounds are welcomed as adopters, including those of black
and minority ethnic heritage and from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender community, and we will support adoptive families for life.
Information events are free to attend but you will need to book. You can
do this by calling 0300 456 4800 or emailing enquiries@pactcharity.org
when full details of the event venue will be provided.
Friends of Raleigh Park
The Friends’ AGM will be on Thursday 13th June, at 7:30pm in the
Pavilion, Arnold's Way, and will include a talk by Linda Losito on 'Beetles
birds and mammals: how dung supports the living world' To find out more,
see our website www.raleighpark.org.uk
Stephen Parkinson Chair, Friends of Raleigh Park
Coming up on 7th July
Sprout AGM
This year’s AGM will be held in
Branches café at 3pm on the first
Sunday in July. Tea and cakes
optional. It’s your chance to tell us
what you’d like to see in the Sprout,
to make contact with the people
who make it happen and to find out
about the accounts. Do come if you
can everybody welcome,
especially our deliverers, especially
if they come with ideas!
Looking for Young Leaders
Summer is coming to Branches and
we are changing up our menu.
Whilst keeping some old favourites
we are now offering a range of
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burgers and grilled sandwiches served with fries or salad and some
delicious sweet treats. We hope you’ll come and try them.
Our Young Leaders have been busy as ever serving their young
customers in the youth sessions after school and helping prepare food
for our platters. Some of them really enjoyed helping at the seniors’ lunch
club, an opportunity we have been trying to organize for a while, waiting
for the lunch club weeks to coincide with school holidays.
Our first group of Young Leaders ‘graduated’ at Easter after completing
their six months of volunteering. As well as their time serving, cooking
and organising activities in Branches, they can be particularly proud of
the work they did on the Pre-Christmas Feast, the Burns Supper and the
Mad Hatters Tea Party. Their last hurrah was to help organise and run
the (bravely early) community barbecue in April at the Louie Memorial
Pavilion, where they received certificates in front of their friends and
customers.
This means we have space for some more young leaders so if anyone
still has their DoE skills or volunteering elements to do, or just wants to
be involved with our innovative project, Branches would be pleased to
see you. We would also like to welcome some new adult volunteers to
the team. If you have some spare time and would like to learn or share
some skills during the day or during youth sessions, come and speak to
Dave or Diane at Branches, we would love to welcome you to our team,
any training needed will be provided.
Dave Goodspeed
Botley Bridges help with under-fives
A great new 4-week Family Links parenting course is coming up, especially
suitable for families with children aged 0-5 years. This will take place over 4
Wednesday evenings (7.30-9.30pm) at Botley Branches Cafe (opposite the
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Co-op) from the end of June. Just £20 per person. For more information, or
to reserve your limited space, please email coordinator@botleybridges.org
Photo competition
There’s still time to enter your photographs of Botley and North Hinksey
in a competition being run by the Parish Council to find new images for
the website:www.northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
Photographs need to work in a landscape “letterbox” style format see
example of the current website image. Entries will appear on the NHPC
Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhinkseypc so that you can vote
for your favourites. Winners will be notified and announced on the
website, Facebook and in a future edition of the Sprout. Please send your
photos to the Parish Clerk at clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
Free Family fun at Hill End Camp
Admin at Hill End camp have asked us to spread the word about the
ffennell Festival at Hill End between 11am and 4pm on 15th June. There
will be nature walks and trails, family bushcraft, music from local bands,
a barbecue, ice cream, free parking. Bring the whole family for a low tech
day out. But no dogs at Hill End, so leave the family pet behind.
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.Organizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details
to editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Fiona
Wheeler, firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6:15-7:45 Alison
Griffin 2ndbotleybrownies@outlook.com
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk
Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Meet Fridays, Botley Baptist Hall Contact: Julie Tatham
01865 863074 or Amy Cusden 07887 654386
Baby & Toddler Group
Tues/Thurs 9.15–11, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Badminton Club
Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Garry Clark
0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com
Books on Wheels R.V.S.
Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@sky.com or Brendan
Byrne 792531 brendan.byrne999@gmail.com
Botley Health Walks
Wednesday 9.30 a.m Contact: Briony 246497
Botley Library
01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Botley Singers
Thur 7.30, St Andrew’s Church, Dean Court. Angela
Astley-Penny Ox.242189 angastpen@aol.com
Branches Café, Westway
Place, Open to All 8am-3pm,
Open for young people 3-5 daily, Th. eves 7–9
Tel:01865 251115 www.branchesyouth.uk Facebook
Branches Youth Cafe, Instagram @_branches_youth
Community Fridge
For all. Put food in, take food out. Ss P&P church, Mon–
Sat 9–5, Sun 11–5. Riki Therivel 07759 135811
Cumnor Choral Society
Rehearsals Friday 7.45 to 9.45 pm John May 07795
054142 or www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com
Cumnor Chess Club
Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett
862788 www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Cumnor & District Historical
Society
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old School.
01865 724808
Cumnor Gardening Club
Details on website at http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ or
phone Chris Impey, 01865 721026
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235
831352 or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
Hill End Volunteer Team
Contact admin@hill-end.org, call 01865 863510 or visit
www.hill-end.org
Let’s Sing! – singing group
Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368
or email emformusic@outlook.com
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
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Mum and Baby Yoga for
babies from 6 wks to crawling
Mondays 10.30 at Dean Court CC, contact Jacqueline
Rice via https://yogawithjacqueline.co.uk
North Hinksey Preschool
and Childcare Clubs
MonFri 7.45am 6.00 pm. 01865 794287 or email
nhps.manager1@gmail.com
N Hinksey Bellringers
Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr 07798743121
voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of
Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Horticultural Soc
Contact: Ann Dykes Ox 251821 anndykes@hotmail.com
N Hinksey Parish Council
Colin Ryde, tel 861992, clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
N Hinksey Youth Club
Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on
07791 212866 or see Facebook
Over Sixties Lunch Club
Every other Thursday. Seacourt Hall. Viv Smith 01865
241539 or Jackie Warner 01865 721386
Oxford Flood Alliance
R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxfd Flower Arranging Club
4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: 01865 865259
Oxford Harmony Men's
Acappella singing group
Meets Wednesdays 7.45 pm at Seacourt Hall Contact
pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice
monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis
Club, N Hinksey
Family club: Melanie Riste 848658 or
melanie_riste@hotmail.com
Raleigh Park, Friends of
David Brown raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Saturdads
Botley Bridges
Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s
10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955
Seacourt Hall management
committee
Contact: Michael Cockman 07766 317691
michael.cockman@gmail.com.
Shotokan Karate club
6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso
tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
West Oxford Bowls Club
Contact details on www.westoxfordbowlsclub.co.uk
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall
01865 570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A
(Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
West Way Day Centre
Mon & Fri 10–3pm, Field House, 07740 611971.
oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Women’s Institute (Botley)
Liz Manson, 244175 email liz.manson@virginmedia.com